While Shiki was handed over to the other warships that had arrived as backup, the Beatrice set a direct course from Merveille to Marineford.
During the voyage, I took the opportunity to grill Dr. Indigo about the specifics of the "Daft Green" and "I.Q." plants.
"Hm? You want to know about Daft Green and I.Q.?" Indigo asked, leaning back.
"Well, if you're to be my employer, I suppose it's best you know.
Where to start? Ah, Merveille itself. You know it as an island of unique species, yes? That is because of the 'I.Q.' plant."
He explained that I.Q. only grows in specific areas of the island. It has a chemical property that triggers rapid, adaptive evolution in animals, which is why the island's fauna is so monstrously powerful.
Shiki planned to use I.Q. to breed a mutant army to conquer the world, a plan I'd put a stop to before it could even begin.
"And then there's Daft Green," Indigo continued. "It's a tree that emits a scent animals detest. It surrounds the human settlements on Merveille to keep the monsters at bay.
You ask if it works on Zoan users or Minks? In my professional opinion... yes. Though it needs testing.
A Zoan in human form wouldn't care, but in full beast form, they'd find the smell unbearable. Hybrid forms would likely feel a moderate repulsion. Minks would probably react similarly."
But there was a catch. "While humans don't mind the smell, it isn't harmless. The scent particles are highly toxic. Short-term exposure causes acute poisoning.
Long-term accumulation leads to 'Daft,' a disease where green spots spread across the body, eventually paralyzing the limbs.
The only cure for 'Daft'? A medicine refined from the I.Q. plant. It's a delicate biological balance that allows humans and monsters to coexist on that island."
When I asked if we could extract the toxins to weaponize them or use I.Q. to trigger human evolution, he gave a sharp laugh.
"The islanders already have wings on their arms from generations of exposure! As for extracting the toxin... Hah! For a genius like me, that is child's play! But I need a real lab. If you want results, get me the equipment!"
The Secret Port
During the trip, I spent time introducing our new companion, Sigma the bear, to the crew.
I had Kahfu and Ishizumi teach him the basics of human common sense and Marine protocols, though mostly they just shared snacks.
We docked at Sabaody Archipelago under the veil of the "Hour of the Ox" (around 2:00 AM), when even the trees seemed to sleep.
I quietly escorted Dr. Indigo to one of the safe houses I'd secured in the Lawless Zone. I gave him his final instructions, introduced the concept of his local "contact," and told him to keep his head down until the heat faded.
By morning, the guards "discovered" that Dr. Indigo had escaped. I reported it to Headquarters, but the response was surprisingly lax: "We have Shiki; don't bother wasting resources on a jester scientist."
Is this really okay, Marineford? I wondered. Regardless, I issued a formal (but half-hearted) search order and gave my crew shore leave as a cover. Meanwhile, I headed to a private construction site.
Sabaody Archipelago, Grove 72.
I was funding the construction of a small, discreet port. It wasn't grand—the land prices on Sabaody were astronomical, and most of my "Patreon" funds went into the deed rather than the docks.
I could have built it in the 20s for cheaper, but the difference in security between the lawless zones and the 70s was like night and day.
The contractors told me it would be finished by the end of next year. If all went according to plan, this would become a vital hub for my future operations.
Finally, I headed to Grove 5 to see Tesoro.
"Yo, Tesoro... Why the long face?"
"You were here less than a year ago," Tesoro sighed. "Coming back this soon usually means you've brought some kind of headache with you."
"Sharp as ever."
Tesoro groaned. "Alright, Krieg-san. What is it this time? I've got the bounty lists ready as usual."
"You know the Golden Lion escaped Impel Down, right?"
"Hard not to, with the newspapers screaming about it. I still can't figure out how he pulled it off."
"He cut off his own shackled legs and flew out. Anyway, I've recaptured him. There's a good chance they'll try to execute him, so I'm moving behind the scenes to prevent that. But more importantly, I need you to look after one of his subordinates for a while."
"Ugh, I knew it. A headache. Which safe house?"
"Grove 12. He's a scientist named Dr. Indigo. He can fight if he has to, but he's mainly there for research. Keep his presence—and his knowledge—a secret."
"A scientist, huh? Fine. I'll make sure he's looked after."
We hammered out the details, and I took the updated bounty lists from him. I needed to get back to the base, grab a few men, and do some "cleaning" (bounty hunting) to keep my skills sharp and my private funds flowing.
I had to report to Marineford tomorrow, so I needed to move fast.
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